Health Management and Policy Alert

Hypothecated taxation and the NHS

CentreForum - 
This report studies the merits of strong hypothecation, where a particular tax funds an entire service, and weak hypothecation, where tax revenues are notionally earmarked for an area of government expenditure. It concludes that strong hypothecation is the more viable of the two because it promotes accountability, transparency and trust in government.

• Report
• Press release

Making local health economies work better for patients

Monitor - 
This report summarises the findings of NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority’s joint project to support 11 local health economies to develop clinically and financially sustainable 5-year strategic plans.

• Report
• Monitor news

Who's who in health and social care guides 2014

Regional Voices - 
These guides have been updated to include new and current contact information for key figures within local health economies. Each regional guide contains contact information for representatives on health and wellbeing boards, CCGs, Healthwatch, strategic clinical networks and senates, and directors for adult and child social care.

• Guides
• Regional Voices news

Professional guidance on the structure and content of ambulance records

NHS England - 
This guidance describes the clinical professional standards for the structure and content of ambulance patient records.

• Guidance
• Press release

Choice in mental health care

NHS England - 
This guidance aims to help commissioners, GPs and providers support mental health patients exercising their legal rights to choose who provides their care and treatment. This guidance has been updated to reflect suggestions from consultation which highlighted the need for further clarity and it also includes a set of clinical scenarios to illustrate how mental health patients’ legal rights should work in practice.

• Guidance
• Clinical scenarios
• Press release

Developing a new approach to palliative care: a revised draft for discussion

NHS England - 
Based on a two year data collection from sites covering both adults’ and children’s services, NHS England is developing a currency for palliative care which focuses on patient need. The aim of the work is to provide a transparent basis for palliative care commissioning. Feedback is sought on this draft guidance and will be accepted up until 23 January 2015.

• Consultation
• Press release

Managing conflicts of interest: statutory guidance for CCGs

NHS England - 
This document is a national framework for handling of conflicts of interest in CCGs and supersedes previous guidance published in March 2013. It strengthens recognition that primary care co-commissioning is likely to increase the range and frequency of real and perceived conflicts of interest, especially for delegated arrangements. The guidance has been developed in partnership with NHS Clinical Commissioners.

• Guidance
• NHS England

The Forward View into action: planning for 2015/16

NHS England - 
This guidance for the whole NHS system has been produced in collaboration with Public Heath England, Monitor, the NHS Trust Development Authority, the Care Quality Commission and Health Education England. It outlines the action which the NHS will be taking in relation to the recommendations made in the Five Year Forward View. Recommendations include investment in prevention of illness; financial investment in the transformation of primary care, mental health services and local health economies; and the ongoing commitment to providing high-quality data to staff and carers.

• Guidance
• Press release

Evolving expectations of GP services

Citizens Advice - 
This briefing note explores the experience of younger adults (18-34 years) as consumers of GP services. It finds that younger adults are more than twice as likely to go to A&E or an NHS walk-in centre when they can’t see a GP compared with those aged 55 and over. It highlights the need for GP surgeries to consider the access needs and preferences of younger adults in order to accommodate their lifestyles and to potentially reduce the pressure on walk-in services and A&E.

• Briefing
• Press release

Guidance for 2015 to 2016 education and training tariffs consultation

Department of Health (DH) - 
This consultation seeks views on the draft guidance for using education and training tariffs for healthcare placements. The consultation is not addressing the tariff prices but rather how the tariffs are used. Feedback will be accepted up until 16 January 2015.

• Draft guidance
• Consultation document
• Response form
• DH consultations